Hello JMB, too bad you are getting such a hard time setting up an email account. As stated by Marabou Mudler, POP accounts are difficult to set up. I'm surprised Apple people told you the iPad doesn't support pop accounts.
My primary personal Internet Service Provider (ISP) is Frontier Communications, a local phone operator here in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. Typical of these providers, the email support is very minimal and uses the easiest to implement and the least technical requirements for email. I'm going to post pictures in my reply to you. I hope you don't mind.
First, launch a webpage and logon to your ISP/Email provider. What userid is it? What password do you have? Then go to your email technical support area and find out what email protocol they use for incoming email and outgoing email. Most ISP's use pop3.mail.com for incoming email, and for outgoing mail smtp.mail.com. Confirm this information. Logoff your service provider website.
Get on your iPad, and go to settings. Here is the first picture. You'll notice there are several lists of the most popular email providers available in the USA, and perhaps available in the UK? Notice that word other at the end of the list. You will choose this option. JUST an aside, I'm giving you my email userid, etc for my MobileMe account. If you choose any of these providers, you have greater ability to manage your email because you can set up folders from the provider in the provider's website and all of these use IMAP email protocol. You cannot do the same for a service provider that uses POP protocol. You can set up folders at the email website but it won't transfer to your iPad.
First picture:
The second picture is step two in the Settings application of your iPad. This is where you enter your logon specific information. Think of your iPad as an emulator of what you did when you went and logged on to your email provider website.
This third picture is where you enter your POP3 (or whatever) information you got from your ISP email provider website for incoming and outgoing mail. The iPad will fill out the first block, you have to fill out the incoming mail block and outgoing mail block:
I hope this helps you. Once you get this set up, using the iPad becomes a really convenient tool to retrieve your email. Since getting this iPad I am able to quickly reply to email when I get it and wherever I am.